Hi, hope everyone has had the best Christmas possible and / or is relieved it's all over! I have had a whale of a time on the whole though a fair old part of it was spent in the kitchen in near-slavery conditions. Why did I allow myself to be such a martyr? Well, I had it in me to break free but was amazed I could stand the pace! Yeah, up earlier than anyone else most days, cooking for England but marching along the beach too keeping up with the youngsters & staying up playing Trivial Pursuit etc. Also drank more alchol than I should, quite a lot more so dreading blood test, but it's done now. So anyway, obviously mtx or something is working vry well & when I see my rheumy I'll be asking about perhaps reducing the dose or something.
So I'm another mtx convert / success story but to get to the question - I can't actually move just now. It's the back or more likely the muscles between the ribs on one side of my back. Almost any movement and breathing out hurts. I think I've pulled a muscle and I have had something similar long before RA. And yes, will go to doc. But might it be RA related? Just checking!
Hi Luce - that's fab news about being up for slavery conditions and fun on the beach etc. I've been in same boat for a while and also wonder about asking to drop a dose of MTX but will see what the new year brings by way of rheum appointments and ESR because remission is quite hard won and I've had swollen knuckle and stiffness with sore knee reminders that I might actually one day need to rise a dose not think too soon about dropping it!
Re you back - I too have struggled with my back a bit over the past few days - sure its a spot of sciatica in my case because its very low down and I suspect down to carrying bags of heavy shopping in the days around Christmas with me. Could it be something similar with you do you think? I have eaten more and walked less this past week and consequently my body isn't quite as fit as usual to withstand the strains of cooking and cleaning 24/7! I would ask your doc if it continues into the new year and beyond but it doesn't sound like RA as much as a pulled muscle to me. Rest up and enjoy the meds working so. Tilda x
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Sure you are right, I've learnt to be suspicious of any little thing as sometimes it's surprisingly small things that rheumys find interesting or that signify a change. But a hot bath helped loads even though I needed to be lowered in and hauled out, humiliating but glad husband has still got some muscles and such kindness.
As for rmission how odd it is that the joints that have given me merry hell are so much better thanks to mtx but the disease is still making itself felt in new places. You'd think that new, mild joint involvement would be the first thing to go but it keeps on coming while the huge problems improve. Is it the same for you?
thanks for your helpful, encouraging reply x
Yes it's totally the same for me! MTX by injection and Hydroxy combined appear to have seen my RA off but the little stuff still niggles away.
Funnily enough I was at a 60th birthday party (made me feel young at almost 50!)party just now - ended up chatting with a woman who started on about her son's psoriasis. I asked about whether he also suffered with arthritis and she said he hasn't any yet but worries it will come.
Then she said "I know I've got arthritis but I refuse to see a doctor or have tests because I'm determined not to let it settle!". So I told her I have RA and she said "is that the one that can be cured with drugs?" And didn't listen to a word of my reply! Then she grabbed my hands and said "look at them they look far better than mine?!" And showed me hers which were red and misshapen right enough. But then she grows veg for a living? She said she struggled to bend her fingers some days and they get sore but she just ignores them. I didn't know what to say because actually I am pretty well but I do get much more tired and achy as time goes by but she definitely had far more wonky sore looking hands than i do. I felt a fraud!
Maybe after all its all just about age and how we use our bodies and maybe the little niggling aches I get are just a bit of OA/ wear and tear now? Its so hard explaining RA to people who are suffering from bad OA isn't it? Tilda x
it could be costochondritis.. please seek advice
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thank you! I think this is the word that was at the back of my mind. I will check it out. x
I'm sitting here writing that it is worth getting it checked feeling a bit guilty, because I have spent the last week or so with some chest problems, and ignoring them, until I remembered that at the start of my treatment I had to have chest x rays, and lung function tests. This made me realise that either the disease, or the medication, could affect the lungs, or the joints/muscles of the ribs.
I feel that I have some sort of congestion low in my left lung leading me to cough a lot to try to clear it with no joy, then I get a lot of pain when I breathe, worse if i lie down, and with sternum and lower ribs painful to touch. It has eased after a couple of days, then I'm back to the beginning with the need to cough.
Yes, I'm going to contact my doc this week, just to make sure all is okay. When it's bad, I've taken anti inflammatories just in case! Does anyone else feel that they are a nuisance if they contact their GP when it doesn't feel serious?
Ally x
I wouldn't worry at all about being a nuisance. You are on powerful drugs for a serious disease and having tight or sore chest is potentially a serious side effect so please do see the GP ASAP. Tilda
Couldn't agree more. Lots of signs of RA or of mtx problems do seem minor. Haven't got it to hand but I think 'dry cough' is listed as something to look out for on mtx leaflet and how bad does that sound? Not very. RA is such an odd disease and the drugs seem pretty whacko to me too so how are we meant to know what is and isn't serious? I think I've got over the stage of worrying about being a nuisance, I mean they check my blood every 5 minutes and I never feel guilty or embarrassed about taking up time that way. i think, chronic rahter mysterious disease means it is very sensible to check in with gp at first sign of anything wrong. And will try to take my own advice Ally but I've woken up much better. Luce x
Today I spoke with the duty GP who happened to be one who knew a bit about me, as she was on call when I was ill a few weeks ago and did a home visit. Describing my symptoms, she said she is not too concerned, but if I develop a temperature, sore throat or other worrying symptoms, then contact them again.
Thanks for the advice, and to Luce for starting this thread, and I hope your pain is soon better!
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skin flare up - drug side effects? Or just auto immune? 
Muscle Wasting Away :(
Muscles
I'm being pulled about like a puppet
Muscle twitching 
